Podcast: TravelCommons
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Podcast #120 — Where Do Guidebooks Fit In? I Hate Shopping for Suitcases
Where do guidebooks fit in the world of apps, review websites, social media, and podcasts? Planning for a trip to Iceland got me thinking about how to make sense of the explosion of travel tips. And then, after giving my thoughts about my new Bluesmart “smart connected suitcase”, I talk about how idiosyncratic frequent travelers are about Continue Reading →
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Podcast #119 — Digital Security On The Road; US Airports Getting Better?
Here’s a little something to keep you entertained while you navigate the holiday airport lines. We talk about digital security on the road — what’s the right balance between hassle and hack? We also dig into JD Power’s latest airport satisfaction survey. They report a tick up in traveler experience and, for the most part, Continue Reading →
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Podcast #118 — Danger In the Travel Bubble; Switching Back to Apple
A bit less of a random walk than the last episode, we talk about safety, physical safety, when traveling. While we sometimes put ourselves in the midst of dodgy surroundings, we usually feel safe when we retreat back into the “travel bubble” What about when the bubble is no longer safe? Smartphones are the frequent Continue Reading →
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Podcast #117 — Random Thoughts About Eggs, Scotland & Car Rentals
Apologies in advance because this is pretty much a stream-of-consciousness episode, with semi-strung together thoughts about eggs, car rentals, seeing the Pope, travel food, and stuff from my September trip to Scotland. I talk about how handy I found the new Revolut service for spending and sending money in Europe; recent good and bad experiences with Hertz Continue Reading →
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Podcast #116 — Traveling Thru Japan; Luggage Trends
Back behind the microphone after an extended summer break highlighted by a two-week family vacation in Japan. We talk about traveling in Japan. It was a fantastic time, though we were lost without translation at times. But with the US dollar buying 124 yen, it was the right time to go. We also talk about Continue Reading →
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Podcast #115 — A Decade of TravelCommons
Hard to believe that I’ve been prattling along for 10 years. Looking back, I see that I’ve become less of a TSA-hater, but am still pretty clear-eyed about the tediousness of the frequent travel experience. It’s tough to pack 10 years into a 30-min episode, but I think I’ve cherry-picked some good snippets. Before that, Continue Reading →
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Podcast #114 — Public Transit to Airports, Requiem for SkyMall, Awful Winter Travel
Recorded at the JW Marriott in New Orleans together with a GoPro video capturing all the unedited bits. We go deep in a comparison of public transit and drive times to US airports, shed a tear for SkyMall magazine, and marvel at the stack of lost Android tablets at American Airlines’ ORD lost-and-found. We talk Continue Reading →
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Podcast #113 — 2014 was a Bad Year to Fly; Restaurants Go Local
Can frequent travelers just write off 2014? We all knew we were abused by the airlines with high prices and lousy service. I guess it’s somewhat comforting to know that analysis of 2014’s data proves us right. I’m not sure there’s much more we can do than enjoy the little things and hope 2015 is Continue Reading →